Because I haven’t mastered kickstarting the RE motorcycle yet, and because I live in New England where the temperatures get down to 25° at night these days, I’m wondering if it might be an encouragement to the motor, before I turn the key on, or attempt to electronically start the bike, to run the kick starter through a couple of downward compression stroke’s to get things flowing, before trying to electronically start the bike. In other words priming the pump if you will.

Any practical value to that, or is it not advisable for one reason or another?

It would make sense to me to make sure that after a couple of easy kicks of the kick starter, that I bring it back up to the top of the compression stroke, before trying to electronically start the bike.

Your thoughts???

P.S.: I find it rather interesting that the Owners Manual says NOTHING about the use of the kick starter!

Posted 12/3/2017 12:36 AM (#95823 - in reply to #95810) Subject: RE: Would It Help Or Hurt

Member

Posts: 49

soupy1957 - 12/2/2017 5:47 AM

Because I haven’t mastered kickstarting the RE motorcycle yet, and because I live in New England where the temperatures get down to 25° at night these days, I’m wondering if it might be an encouragement to the motor, before I turn the key on, or attempt to electronically start the bike, to run the kick starter through a couple of downward compression stroke’s to get things flowing, before trying to electronically start the bike. In other words priming the pump if you will.

Any practical value to that, or is it not advisable for one reason or another?

It would make sense to me to make sure that after a couple of easy kicks of the kick starter, that I bring it back up to the top of the compression stroke, before trying to electronically start the bike.

Your thoughts???

P.S.: I find it rather interesting that the Owners Manual says NOTHING about the use of the kick starter!

I can't see how it would hurt anything, give it a try and report back.

Posted 12/16/2017 10:51 AM (#95921 - in reply to #95810) Subject: Re: Would It Help Or Hurt

Member

Posts: 35Location: Alberta Canada

I would just use the starter motor. Save the kick start for when you have battery problems. On carb bikes it will start via kick start with a low battery. With fuel injection it won't start with low battery as the fuel pump needs a minimum voltage, usually in the range of 11 volts.

Posted 12/17/2017 10:28 AM (#95924 - in reply to #95810) Subject: Re: Would It Help Or Hurt

Expert

Posts: 1927Location: San Isidro de Heredia, Costa Rica

if you kick then kick, at least you get warm and some oil gets moved. Hopefully the spark plug doesn't get wet.

if you want to to start electrically and help a bit with the kicker, then advance to the begining of the exhaust stroke, so the electric starter can gain speed when it hits the compression stroke.

look at what i wrote you about kick start the RE in one of the other threads. You possibly get too close to OT looking for compression point and lost already the spark. For cold wheather choke is needed. normally you should not touch the gas grip for kick start. perhaps your main trouble is the obstruction by the S/C mounts.
On really cold days last April in D, I needed plus the choke at most 1/8" of throttle on freezing days. But generally over 5°C do not touch the throttle at all. The main trick was to simply kick with impuls straight over from 3/4 compression stroke over OT with no jump into the air at all. My son needed quite some time to learn that. Once you got the technique the RE becomes a 1-2 kick starter.
Sven

Posted 12/21/2017 8:34 PM (#95953 - in reply to #95810) Subject: Re: Would It Help Or Hurt

Expert

Posts: 1927Location: San Isidro de Heredia, Costa Rica

Hello Claude,
once again thank you very much for the detailed explanations that convinced our friend Rick = "Medio Tico" that rig pushing is the right thing for him and the 9 grandkids. In the end it became a 2012 Ural Patrol which we brought up from Florida. He lives close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and is one of the persons who is most fascinated of nature and wildlife. Now he owns a bike for 12 month a year, "make family" and take care of local rivers.
In January he will come to his second home in CR...let's see if perhaps for here he will go with a Royal Enfield. It is funny how these 2 brands attract the same kind of rig pushers.
As Mr. Cob from Sovietsteedforum said to Rick. "It is a brand new 70 year old motorcycle." Fits for RE too.
I am fascinated of my sons RE Bullet classic and sometimes even prefer it to my Kawasaki W800s which would give a good workhorse for small rigs.
Did you know that RE will bring out beside the 410 Himalaya longstroke enduro a new 650 twin?
Doesn't sound that inviting for you to make up small handsome old style rigs?